This invention relates to loader vehicles, and more particularly, to a loader vehicle utilizing a clamshell bucket in association therewith.
In general, in conventional wheel loader bucket loading, the bucket in an open state is crowded or forced into a pile of material to be loaded by the tractive effort of the loader vehicle itself. Such a system is generally not without certain problems, since, in order to achieve such crowding of the bucket into the pile, a very high level of vehicle drive horsepower is required, and extremely rapid tire wear results during such operation.
Conventional front-mounted loader buckets have been modified in various ways to make them more versatile and productive. Even though ejectors and top clamps or closures such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,621 to Anderson et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,010 to Campbell (both assigned to the assignee of this invention) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,606 to Pryor have been adapted to conventional front-loader buckets, the specific problems set forth above continue to exist. In general, the major portion of all such vehicles continues to be loaded by means of the bucket being directly and forcefully engaged with the material to be moved.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,287 to Billings discloses a clamshell bucket equipped as part of a vehicle, which is quite large, costly and specialized, and not well adapted for the use described above. U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,274 to Piccagli discloses a clamshell bucket in which the jaws are initially pivoted inwardly to bite to an extent into a material, and are subsequently moved relatively away from a support frame, meanwhile continuing to be moved to a closed position. This is quite different from the present device, which will be described in detail.